Self-aligning electrical connector assembly

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly that includes a first electrical component having a housing supporting at least one first contact, and including an interface end with a first alignment member. A second electrical component is configured to mate with the first component and has a housing supporting at least one second contact, and includes an interface end with a second alignment member adapted to engage the first alignment member. At least a first magnet is disposed at the interface end of the first component and has a first polarization. At least a second magnet is disposed at the interface end of the second component and has a second polarization that is the opposite of the first polarization. The first and second magnets attract one another to self-align the components such that the alignment members are engaged with one another and the contacts are mated with one another.

1 . An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
 a first electrical component having a housing supporting at least one first contact, said housing including an interface end with a first alignment member;   a second electrical component configured to mate with said first electrical component, said second electrical component having a housing supporting at least one second contact configured to mate with said at least one first contact, said housing including an interface end with a second alignment member adapted to engage said first alignment member;   at least a first magnet centrally disposed at said interface end of said first electrical component, said first magnet having a first polarization; and   at least a second magnet centrally disposed at said interface end of said second electrical component, said second magnet having a second polarization that is the opposite of said first polarization,   wherein said first and second magnets attract one another to self-align said first and second electrical components such that said first and second alignment members are engaged with one another and said first and second contacts are mated with one another.   
     
     
         2 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said first alignment member is a shaped protrusion.   
     
     
         3 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said second alignment member is a shaped recess that has a shape that substantially matches the shape of said shaped protrusion.   
     
     
         4 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein
 each of said shaped protrusion and said shaped recess has substantially the shape of a cross.   
     
     
         5 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein
 at least one leg of said shaped protrusion receives said first contact; and   at least one leg of said shaped recess receives said second contact.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a plurality of first contacts supported in said housing of said first electrical component; and   a plurality of second contacts supported in said housing of said second electrical component, each of said contacts of said plurality of second contacts is adapted to engage a respective contact of said plurality of first contacts.   
     
     
         8 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said first and second magnets are discs.   
     
     
         9 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said first and second magnets provide stabilization to the first and the second electrical components along a mating axis of said first and second magnets and in a plane perpendicular to said mating axis of said first and second magnets.   
     
     
         10 . An electrical connector assembly, comprising:
 a first electrical component having a housing supporting at least one first contact, said housing including an interface end with a first alignment member;   a second electrical component configured to mate with said first electrical component, said second electrical component having a housing supporting at least one second contact configured to mate with said at least one first contact, said housing including an interface end with a second alignment member adapted to engage said first alignment member;   a first magnet centrally disposed at said interface end of said first electrical component, said first magnet having a first polarization;   a second magnet centrally disposed at said interface end of said second electrical component, said second magnet having a second polarization that is the opposite of said first polarization;   a third magnet disposed adjacent said first magnet at said interface end of said first electrical component, said third magnet having a polarization that is the opposite of said first polarization; and   a fourth magnet disposed adjacent said second magnet at said interface end of said second electrical component, said fourth magnet having a polarization that is the opposite of said second polarization   wherein said first and second magnets attract one another and said third and fourth magnets attract one another to self-align said first and second electrical components such that said first and second alignment members are engaged with one another and said first and second contacts are mated with one another, and   wherein said first and third magnets repel one another and said second and fourth magnets repel one another to prevent engagement of said first and second contacts.   
     
     
         11 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said first alignment member is a shaped protrusion.   
     
     
         12 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein
 said second alignment member is a shaped recess that has a shape that substantially matches the shaped of said shaped protrusion.   
     
     
         13 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein
 each of said shaped protrusion and said shaped recess has substantially the shape of a cross.   
     
     
         14 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said first contact is a pin; and   said second contact is a socket.   
     
     
         15 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , further comprising
 a plurality of first contacts supported in said housing of said first electrical component said plurality of first contacts are located outside of said first and third magnets; and   a plurality of second contacts support in said housing of said second electrical component, said plurality of second contacts are located outside of said second and fourth magnets, each of said contacts of said plurality of second contacts is adapted to engage a respective contact of said plurality of first contacts.   
     
     
         16 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein
 said first alignment member is a shaped protrusion with a plurality of legs, each of said plurality of first contacts extends through one of said plurality of legs; and   said second alignment member is a shaped recess with a plurality of legs corresponding to said plurality of legs of said shaped protrusion, each of said plurality of second contacts extends through one of said plurality of legs of said second alignment member.   
     
     
         17 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein
 said plurality of first contacts includes four first contacts; and   said plurality of second contacts includes four second contacts.   
     
     
         18 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 each of said first, second, third and fourth magnets is a disc.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said first and third magnets are touching one another; and   said second and fourth magnets are touching one another.   
     
     
         21 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein
 said first, second, third, and fourth magnets provide stabilization to the first and the second electrical components along a mating axis of said first and second magnets and in a plane perpendicular to said mating axis of said first and second magnets.   
     
     
         22 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein
 said first electrical component is a plug; and   said second electrical component is a receptacle.   
     
     
         23 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said shaped protrusion has a rounded edge corresponding to a rounded edge of said shaped recess.   
     
     
         24 . An electrical connector assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein
 said shaped protrusion has a rounded edge corresponding to a rounded edge of said shaped recess.